Scrubbing machine



July 8, 1924. 1,500,692

G. H. WAGONER SCRUBBING MACHINE Fil ed May 11. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet lJuiy 8 a 1,500,692 G. H. WAGONER SGRUBBING MACHINE v Filed May 11, 19215 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 8 1924. 15 @2 G. H. WAGONER SCRUBBING MACHINEFiled May 11, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet SCRUBBING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed May 11 192] 'IIIIIIII Patented July 8, 1924.

r Y rrao sr GEORGE II. wnconna, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR orONE-HALF T0 moa'rmna H. SWAIFORD, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SCRUBBDTG MACHDNE.

Application filed May 11,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. WAGONER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Scrubbing Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to scrubbing machines of the portable type butmore particularly to those in which cleaning fluid is.

' applied to the floor in front of one or more advancin scrubbingmembers, and the soiled fluid is collected by the machine and conveyedto a suitable receptacle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedmachine of this type which can be more conveniently controlled andoperated and which is more efficient on operation than devices of asimilar nature heretofore known; 1

Further objects of the invention are t provide improved means forcollecting and withdrawing the soiled fluid, to facilitate the movementof the machine from place to place when not inoperation, to provide anadvantageous device for feeding soap powder or other cleaning materialsor chemicals, to produce an improved scrub-' hing member, and to provideself-propulsio for the machine. p I

The many other objects and advantages of the invention will be betterunderstood by reference to the following specification when consideredin connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a selectedembodiment thereof,'in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the scrubbingmachine.

Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fi 1.

ig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively enlarged vertical sections on the lines7-7 and 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail elevation of one of the scrubbing members.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail section of the nozzle for withdrawing thesoiled fluid.

1921. Serial No. 468,629.

21 are secured upon the shaft 23 supported in the lower extremities ofthe depending legs 24. The castor 22 is swiveled in a bracket composedof a base plate 25 sup-,

ported by a bowed frame member 26 extending from side to side of themain frame 20, and a depending arm 27 attached to the rear of thisframe.

An uppe'r'frame 28 is supported by corner irons 29. The frames 20 and 28are preferably composed of angle irons bolted, screwed, riveted orotherwise secured together, though any other suitable materialmiglit beused. A platform 30 is supported by the upper frame, and a motor 31 ofany suitable type is mounted on this platform. Parallel seats 32 anl 33are formed in the upper frame 28 to support fluid holding tanks orreceptacles 34 and 35. A guiding handle 36 is mounted in oppositelydisposed members 37 secured to the frames 20 and 28 near the rear of themachine. A reel 39 is revolubly mounted in supports 40 secured at theirlower extremities to the frame 28. The cord 41 wound on the reelcontains the feed wires which Suppl current to the motor 31; This cord41' is connected by a socket, plug or other suitable means to aconvenient source of electrical supply and the reel holds the sur luscord to permit the machine to be moved ack and forth over an extendedarea. Any suitable form of reel might be provided but I have found itadvantageous to use one which automatically takes up the slack in thecord and yieldingly permits the cord to be un wound from the reel.

A movable platform 42 is supported by the frames 20 and 28 and connectedthereto by bell cranks 43. The lower arm on each of these bell cranks isprovided with a pin or stud 44' which is slidably mounted in ahorizontal slot 45 in upright plates 46. The

two forward lates 46 are connected to the frame 20 an the rear plate issecured to the upper frame 28. The upper arms of the bell cranks 43 areconnected by hnks 47 to the corresponding crank arms 48 on the shaft 49revolubly mounted on the frame 28.. y The shaft 49 is connected by acrank arm 50 and a link 51 to the operating handle 52 mounted on one ofthe members 37 near or lowered.

The main shaft 53 of the motor 31 is I directly coupled or .otherwiseoperatively the guiding handle 36. Movement of the handle 52 causesthe'plaform 42 to be ra1sed connected to a shaft 54 provided with a worm55 which drives a-gear 56 on the up- In the present embodiment of myinvention I have incorporated three scrubbing members but any suitablenumber may be used, One of the pinions 64 is driven indirectly b thegear through the medium of an idler gear 65 which causes the directionof rotationof the shaft to be'reversed in order that the two scrubbingmembers at the front ofthe machine may rotate in opposite directions.The upper extremities of the shafts 62 are preferably supported bycorresponding arms 66 secured upon the upper face of the platform 42.The vertical movement of the platform 42 is guided by suitable rods 67having their 0' osite extremities seated in the frames 28 and 20, asindicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

A shaft 68 is supported at its opposite ends b dependin arms 69 securedto the lower rame 20. g bridge 70 is rovided at its opposite ends withsleeves 71 tting about the shaft 68 on which the bridge rests. A bearing72 is provided in the raised portion of the bridge 70 to support thelower portion ofthe shaft 59. A bevel gear 73 is secured upon the lowerend of the shaft 59 bel ow the bridge 70 and this gear meshes with acorresponding gear 74 upon the shaft 68,. A sprocket75 issecured uponthe shaft '68 to drivea shaft 76 through the medium ot.-the chain 77'and the sprocket78- ,The

shaftl76 is supported atnts opposite ends by depending arms 79 inthesame manner as the shaft 68. -;A clutch member 80 is,fneelymounteduponthe shaft2 3 and driven (by ;a.chain 81 from the shaft76,;,The op- .posingiclutch member 82 is splined upon the shafti23 andmovable thereon into operative engagement with-themember 80. The member82 is controlled by the arm 83 pivoted intermediate its ends on theouter-extremity of the arm 84 projecting inwardly from the depending leg24. The arm 83 is linked to the rod 85 which is,operated-by the rod 86controlled by a handle 87 mounted on one of the members 37 near theguiding handle 36. This construction permits the shaft 23 to be drivenfrom the motor 31 in order that the machine may be self-propelled.

A fluid supply pipe 88 is connected to the supply tank 35 and asprinkler pipe 89 is connected to the outer extremity of this pipe. Theflow of fluid from the pipe 89 is controlled by a valve 90 operated bythe rod 91 which is connected to the control rod 91 by the bell crank91". A handle 91" on the member 37 operates the rod 91'. A rece tacle 92is supported by the forward en of the upper frame 28 to hold a supply ofsoa powder or other cleaning material, and this receptacle is providedwith -a hinged cover 93. An elongated nozzle 94 communicates with thebottom of the receptacle 92 and the discharge of the owder through thisnozzleis controlled y a gridiron gate or valve 95 which is operated by arod 96 linked to the control rod 97 connected by the rod 98 to thecontrol handle 99. An agitator 100 is mounted upon the revoluble shaft101;v trunnioned in the end each of these arms carries a spring-pressedplunger 104. These depending arms are in the present embodiment arrangedin airs on substantially opposite side edges .0 the platform 42 and asqueegee or scraper 105 is carried b each pair of plungers. A air ofsimilar epending arms 106 carry p ungers 107 on which is mounted anelongated nozzle 108 for Withdrawing the soiled fluid. The nozzle 108extends across the rear of the machine and preferably abuts the ends ofthe Squeegees. The Squeegees retain the cleaning fluid in the ath of thescrubbing members and guide t e' soiled fluid to the nozzle. This nozzlemay be of any suitable type but I have found a most advantageous form tobe that shown in detail in Fig. 10, in which the base 109 is closed anda flap or Valve 110 of stiff leather, rubberized fabric or othersuitable-material normally forms a tight closure for the mouth'lll inthe rear face of the nozzle. The valve 110 is secured along its upperedge to the body of the nozzle and its .free lower edge. 112 ex endsslightly below the'flower edge 113 of the nozzle. When the machine movesforward with the nozzlein operativetposition, the lower 1,5oo,eea

Fig. 10, and a narrow. slit is formed to ad-' mit the soiled fluid.The'valve 110 also actstight so that a vacuum produced therein by theaction of the pump causes a suction in the ipe 116 connected to thenozzle.

len the platform 42 is in its raised position the squeegees 105 andthe-nozzle 108 are preferably clear of the floor, as indicated in Fig.1- of the drawings. This greatly facilitates the moving of the machinefrom place to place when itis not in operation. When this platform islowered, the Squeegees and nozzle are yieldinglygpressed against thefloor by the spring plungers 104 and 107 respectively. The tank 34separates the fluid from the air so that substantially no fluid is drawnthrough the pipe 115 into the pump T 114. The air exhaust pipe 115 fromthe pump 114 is preferably connected to the tank 35-so that any moisturewhich may be sucked in by the-pump will be carried to this tank. Thesoiled fluid is withdrawn from the tank 34 by the cock 34.

The scrubbing members 61 are secured upon the lower extremities of thecorre-' spondin stud shafts 62 and are revoluble therewit Each scrubbingmember consists of a brush holder having one ormore brushes securedthereto. In thepresent em- 7 bodiment the holder comprises a hub 120provided with a pair of arms 121 projecting outwardly anddownwardlytherefrom. Bell 40 cranks 122 connect each of these arms with theirrespective brushes 123 and.the inner ends 124 of these bell cranks areconnected .by an extensible spring 125 which normally tends to drawthese arms together and to yieldingly force the brushes downwardly. Thebrushes 123 are -preferably pivotally connected to the bell cranks 122at 126. Stops 127 are preferably provided to limit the outward movementof the bell cranks 122. The brushes of each scrubbing member areprovided with oppositely disposed lugs 128 through which .passes a rod129 to maintain the brushes in substantially parallel relation thoughpermitting "=suiiicient relative movement to compensate forirregularities in the floor. Cotter pins 130 passing through this rodadjacent to its opposite ends determine the maximum spacing between thebrushes. When the platform 42 is in its uppermost position the brushes123 are preferably raised above the floor in the manner indicated inFig. 1. The brushes are yieldingly pressed against the floor by thesprings 125 when the platform 42 is in depressed or operative position.

To movethe machine from place to place without performing the scrubbingoperation, the platform 42 should be in its raised position. -The motoris then started and the clutch thrown in. The operator guides I0 the.machine by .the handle 36. To start the Washing operation, the platform42 is lowered to bring the scrubbing members into contact with the floorand the handles controlling the supply of water and soap powder-are setat the proper position. The spray pipe 89 first wets the floor and thenozzle 94 sprinkles soap power'or other cleaning material inpredetermined quantities upon the wet floor. The floor thus wet with thecleaning mixture is then acted upon by the rapidly rotating scrubbinmembers. The squeegees 105 retainthe uid beneath the scrubbing membersvand aid in conducting the soiled fluid to the nozzle 35 108 whicheffectively collects the same and conducts it to the tank 34. It willthus be seen that a supply of clean water mixed with sufiicient soappowder is always provided as the brushes move over the floor and thefloor is left in. a substantially dry condition after the machine hascompleted its operation. Conversely, when it is desired to sto theoperation of the machine the supply 0 soap and water is shut off and theplatform 42 is raised. To stop the propulsionof the machine, the clutchon the shaft 23 is disengaged by the control handle 87. The mo-- tor 31is controlled by any suitable form of switch. The machine may bepropelled by hand when this method is preferable, as in cleaning smallor much obstructed floor areas.

The machine is-easily controlled and operated and the cleaning isperformed in a highly eflicient manner. The construction is simple,economical and durable. The suction nozzle thoroughly dries the floorsurface and removes all fluid from cracks or small depressions whichcould not be reached by mops or similar articles generally used for thispurpose. This is particularly important in the case of wooden floors,for the fluid remaining in the cracks causes the floor boards to warpand quickly ruins the appearance of the floor as well as making thecleaning increasingly difiicult' The form of the nozzle insures adequatesuction at all times.

The present invention relates particularly to the type of scrubbingmachine shown in the United States patent granted to William J. Lane,No. 1,118,870, on November 24, 1914.

I am aware that many changes ma made in the form and arrangement 0 thevarious parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and Ireserve the rightto make all such as fairly fall within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A scrubbing machine comprising a frame, a platform supported in saidframe, rotary brushes supported by said platform, squeegees supported bysaid platform, and

-.means for raising said platform relative to said frame tocorrespondingly move said brushes and said squeegees.

2. A scrubbing machine "'comprisin a supporting frame, a platform mountsin said frame, rotary brushes supported by said platform, squeegeessupported by said platform, and means including a single operating leverfor raising said platform relative to said frame to correspondingly movesaid brushes and said squeegees.

'3. A, scrubbing machine-comprising a supportingframe, a platformmounted in said frame, rotary brushes supported by said plat-form,Squeegees supported by said platform, a suction nozzle supported by saidplatform, and means for raising said plat form relative. to said frameto correspond ingly move said brushes, said squeegees and said nozzle.

4. A scrubbing, machine comprisin a portable supporting frame, a platorm mounted in said frame, rotary brushes supported by said platform,squeegees supported by said platform, a suction nozzle supported by saidplatform, and means including a slngle operating lever for raising saldplatform relative to said frame to correspondingly move said brushes,said squeegees and said nozzle.

' 5. scrubbing machine comprising a frame, a series of rotary scrubbingbrushes mounted in the lower portion of said frame, means for actuatingsaid brushes, fluid retaining means disposed substantially along thelower side edges of said frame opposite said brushes, a suction nozzleat the lower rear portion of said frame, means for producing a suctionin said nozzle, and means including a single operating lever forsimultaneously raising said brushes, said retaining means and saidnozzle.

6. A scrubbing machine comprising aframe,,a horizontal platform mountedon said frame, means for raising and lowering said platform, rotaryscrubbing brushes mounted on said platform, power driven means foractuatin said brushes, an elonsuction in said nozzle.

gated nozzle carried by said platform and extending transversely thereofin rear of said brushes, and means for producing a 7. A scrubbingmachine comprising' a frame, a group of rotary brushes mounted 8. In ascrubbing machine, the combina-- tion with scrubbing mechanism, of asuction nozzle comprising a casing havin a closed base and a suctionmouth form'e in its rear face, and a flap valve connected on its upperedge to said casing above said mouth and projecting over said mouth toform a closure therefor, the lower edge portion of said valve projectingbelow the base of said casing.

9. In a scrubbing machine, the combinetion with scrubbing mechanism, ofa suction nozzle comprising an elongated casing closed at the base andhaving a suction mouth formed in its rear wall, and a flap valve ofstiff material secured along its upper edge on the rear wall of saidcasing above said mouth and projecting down- \vardly over said mouth tonormally form a yielding closure therefor, the lower ed e port-ion ofsaid valve projecting below t e base of saidcasing to cause said mouthto be automatically opened by the frictional re sistance of the floor on'said valve as said nozzle is advanced. thereover in operative position.v

10. In a scrubbing machine, the combination with scrubbing mechanism, ofa combined suction nozzle and scraper comprising an elongated nozzlecasing closed at the base and provided with a mouth in its rear face,and a flap valve extending over said- .mouth and projecting below thebase of said casing, the projecting portion of said valve forming ascraper.

11. In a scrubbing machine, a frame, supporting wheels for said frame,and a suction nozzle carried by said frame and having a normally closedmouth automatically opened by the frictional engagement of the nozzlewith the surface being cleaned during the forward movement of said-nozzle.

12. In a scrubbing machine, a frame, and.

a scrubbing member revolubly mounted in said frame and comprising abrush support provided with a pair of oppositely dis-- posed dependingarms, a bell crank connected at its outer extremity to the outerextremity of each of said arms, a s rin connecting the inner extremitiesof sai be 1 cranks, and a brush mounted on each of said bell cranksintermediate its ends.

13. In a scrubbing machine, a frame, and a scrubbing member revolublymounted in said frame comprising. a brush support provided with a pairof oppositely disposed depending arms, a bell crank'pi'votally connectedat its outer extremity to each of said arms, a spring connecting theinner extremities of said bell cranks, a brush ivotally mounted on eachof said bell cra-n intermediate itsends, and means for maintaining saidbrushes in substantially parallel relation.

. GEORGE H. WAGON ER.

